Category: Sanatana Dharma

Answer by Raakhee V. Menon: When anyone mentions the Mahabharata, there are some key characters who are usually hero-worshiped by all fans of the work. Krishna The mastermind behind the whole sequence of events that unfolded. The apple of everyone’s eyes. And one of the few characters who was cordial with almost everyone on both…

Answer by Raakhee V. Menon: I don’t endorse the idea of ‘Indian culture’. There is no such thing as ‘Indian culture’ whereby you have a bulleted lists of things to do and things not to do. Unlike other nations, India is a land of diverse cultures and things change when we move from one region…

Answer by Raakhee V. Menon: The ages of the various characters of our epics have been a matter of great debate since forever. There are some popular versions like how it is said that Abhimanyu was 16 years old when he was killed on the battle-field, which would imply that the Pandavas (and Krishna) were…

Answer by Raakhee V. Menon: Even if one attempts to draw a line, it’s going to be very blurry. If one puts aside the matters of temple worship and all associated things, most quintessentially ‘Indian’ things are nothing but cultural. Off late, the word ‘Hindu’ has come to mean people belonging to the ‘Hindu religion’,…

Answer by Raakhee V. Menon: I believe that He is very much married. In all Nair ancestral homes, it was customary to have a serpent grove in the woods around the house. The idols kept for worship in these groves are those of Nagaraja (Vasuki), Nagayakshi and several other smaller idols representing their daughter, Nagakanyaka,…

Answer by Raakhee V. Menon; Owing to the fact that Sanatana Dharma has no diktats when it comes to food, I think this is largely a matter of personal preference. It may be different for different people. I, for instance, do consume non-vegetarian food in very small quantities. The quantity doesn’t matter really. What matters…

Answer by Raakhee V. Menon: According to Hindu shastras, the most powerful weapon is the Brahmandastra. Wikipedia[1] has a wonderful write-up about this astra In the epic Mahabharata, it is said that the weapon manifest with the all five heads of Lord Brahma as its tip. Lord Brahma lost his fifth head when he fought…

Answer by Raakhee V. Menon: I cannot be a voice for all Hindus the world over, so I’ll speak just for myself. I won’t feel anything about anyone sporting a tattoo about anything at all…provided they give it the respect the symbol deserves. When getting a tattoo from a culture that’s not their own, it…

Answer by Raakhee V. Menon: The subject of ‘illicit relations’ is in itself a very vague subject in Sanatana Dharma. There are several accounts across the scriptures of men indulging in physical relationships outside their marriage, though most times such relationships are sanctified by marriage. There are also stories of two consenting unmarried individuals indulging…

Answer by Raakhee V. Menon: Actually the word ‘manikarnika’ translates to earring (Mani: Beads, Karnam: Ear, Angad: Ornament). The main cremation ghat of Kashi is named Manikarnika, as it is believed that it was here that the ear ornament of Goddess Sati fell after Her body was cut into several pieces by the Sudarshan Chakra…

Answer by Raakhee V. Menon: Age of Kerala Strictly speaking, the state of ‘Kerala’ was formed only on November 1, 1956. Until then, it was just a region comprising of three princely states- Malabar, Kochi & Thiruvithamkoor – and several baronial estates. As per Hindu mythology, there are only a handful of mentions to the…

Answer by Raakhee V. Menon: There are several answers here already that have taken direct references to the Mahabharata and even quoted parts of it. So I’ll not go there. I’d like to look at this from a different PoV. I am the first-born of my generation on my mother’s side. This means that I…